Addressing the Menace of Corruption in Nigeria from Islamic Perspective

Abstract

Corruption is a universal problem for all governments and all countries, the magnitude seems to be at its peak in Nigeria. This is rooted from the type of leadership Nigeria has had since independence. Thus, the country's leadership has often been seen to be composed of corrupt individuals who do not see their positions as service to the country but avenues for personal aggrandizement. This particular attitude of our leaders has caused a lot of damage to this country as a nation. To fight corruption therefore, it is not only an existential necessity but also a divine imperative in view of the evil of this practice not only on human physical life but also on spiritual development. Religion therefore has a crucial role to play in the fight against this obnoxious practice. It is against this background that this paper examines the consequential effects of corruption on Nigeria as a nation and proffers a likely solution using the Islamic model as exemplified in the Qur`an and Sunnah. The paper concludes that Islamic approach which looks at corruption holistically calls for the fear of Allah as one of the best approaches to solving the corruption problem in Nigeria.